Drying means for garment presses and the like



y Jan. 221935. H. G. sUTToN DRYING MEANS -FOR GARMENT PRESSES AND THE LIKE Filed Jn. 17, 1934 3 Sheets-Sheet l S .m 2 t n 37. .mv M 2 Z. ma/ a 5 m 2 U .w T. 5 5. 7 3 w d M/w III' III 'lll ////7f////////7//17///////// A W v 8 Jan.. 22,v 1935.` `H. G. ASUTTON DRYING MENS FOR GARMENT PRESSES AND THE LIRE I5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Jn. 17, 1934 Snventor Gttornegs A Jan. 22, 1935.,

H. G. sU'rToN- DRYING MEANS FOR GARMENT PRESSES ND THE LIKE 5 sheeis-sheet 5 Eiled Jan. 17, 1934 44522227, w /MQV/ larly to that type wherein suction means is emvalve closed;

structures. as for instance garment and laundry l valve being' shown in its open position and there )valve open; and

' however, in connection with Vthe usual'buck of a Patented Jan. 22, 193s UNITED STATES PATENT'OFFICE DBYING MEANS FOB GARDENT PRESSES AND THE lLum v Harry G. Sutton, Syracuse, N. Y., assignor to United States Hofman Machinery Corporation, New York, Y., a corporation oi' Delaware Application January 17, 1934, Serial No. 707,026

11 Claims. (Cl. 23o-95) 'I'his invention pertains to garment pressing through a nozzle 4 from the usual live steam machines orelements and relates more particuheating chamber 5..

An exhaust chamber 6 is provided in conjunction with the buck or pressing element 1, said chamber being in communication with the chamber 3 and Aconnected with the exhaust line and mechanism. Said mechanism may be said to comprise generally a casting or housing in which the .means for opening the normally closed exhaust valve, the inlet valvefor the iluid pressure ployed to dry and set the goods or garment, as well as the padding ifthe latter be employed on the garment supporting element.

The invention has for its primary object the provision of means whereby `iluid under pressure employed to create suction (or exhaust) through the pressing element, and the goods imposed thereon, is likewise utilized to automatically open a normally closed valve controlling the exhaust line.

The invention is susceptible of various embodiments and in the annexed drawings several of these are shown.

Figure 1 is a verticalsectional view of a p0rtiono! a pressing element, the exhaust line, its control valve, one form of allied exhausting meansthe operator controlled valve for ad- Y mlitting uid under pressure being shown asv Valve 10 is carried by the upper end of a valve closed; stemll, which latter passes through a bore or Fig. 2, a view similar to Figure 1 the exhaust\ guide-opening formed in the upper portion of a member 12 which extends inwardly from one side of the casting 7 but is spaced therefrom to afford passages 13 and v14 thereabout (Fig. 3) which extend to the lower portion of the housing 7. Within the member 12 there is formed a cylinder 15 and a piston 16 attached tothe lower end of the valve stem 11 works in the upper portion o1' said cylinder. In the lower end o1' the member 12 there is mounted a jet nozzle 17 which stands in alignment with a, Venturi tube 18 secured to the lower end of the casting or housing 7.

Fluid under pressure is designed to be admitted. into the cylinder 15 below the piston 16 and conmay be said to comprise a shell provided with an `upward extension or nipple' 8 projecting into an opening formed in the member 1. At its upper end said member 8 is fashioned to provide a valve seat 9 upon which rests a valve 10 to normally cut oi the exhaust chamber from the element 8. The parts are then in the position shown in Figure 1. Y'

also being illustrated means for supplying steam for heating and spraying purposes;

Fig. 3, a horizontal sectional view on the line III-III of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4, a vertical sectional view of a modified structure wherein the controlvalve for the exhaust is drawn to its s eat through the action of a spring and the actuating means lies at right angles to that illustrated in Figures l and'2;

Fig. 5, a perspective view of a modied form of structure embodying the invention;

Fig. 6, a vertical sectional view thereof Fig. 7, a detailed sectional view showing the exhaust valve as open;

Fig. 8, a transverse vertical cross section on the line'VDIf-VIII of Fig. 6, with the Vpressure inlet the cylinder 15, said opening communicating with a chamber 20 to which iluidunder pressure isl introduced in any suitable manner, as throughs. supply pipe 21 (Figure 3). D

A valve 22 normally closes the opetiing 19 as-d -isheldtoitsseatbya-sprlng23inrposed Fig. 10, a perspective view of the. jet nozzle. tween the valve anda cap piece 24 secured in 'The is to varinus the of chamber 20.

A valve stem 25 connected to the valve 22, extends freely through the mening 19, laterally through thev cylinder 15 below and vfree oi interference with' the-piston 16, and through a stumng box 25. The stemat its outer-end passes between the upwardly extending fingers of the biiurcated armofabell-cranklev'er 27iulcrumedat28upou Fig. 9, a like view ofthesame partswith the pr, ironing and the like. Itis shown.-

garment -or laundry pressing machine.'

-,Iteterringtothestructureshowninl'igures1 to 3.'inchmive,-1 denotes" the buck provided with an upper perforate ia'ce12 overlying a ,chamba-*a into which may be mmiducea anexnsionzsromeanapmamswumv.

to open the exhaust valve, and the jet nozzle to create the vacuum or suction, are located, Said casting or housing is denoted generally by 7. It

sequentlyabove the nozzle 17. To this end there is provided a lateral opening 19 extending into The valve stem 25 carries a pair of washers 30 and 31 between which the fingers of the elbow lever 27 extend. These parts are held in place by a nut 32 screwed upon the outer threaded end of the valve stem. The elbow lever 27 may be rocked counter-clockwise through any suitable means (not shown) to unseat the valve 22 and allow fluid under pressure to enter the cylinder 15.

Such fluid, acting upon the under face of the piston 16, will force the same upwardly .and through stem 11, raise valve from its seat. .At

f the same time, iiuid under pressure passing out of the nozzle 17 and into the Venturi tube 18 will produce suction through the member 7 and the passages therein, withdrawing air and vapors from the chamber 6, and likewise from the chamber 3, and through the openings of the pressing plate 2, thereby drying the goods imposed upon said plate or drying the padding and goods which may overlie such plate. So long as the valve remains open or unseated and uid pressure is supplied to the cylinder 15 the valve 10 will remain oir its seat and iiuid under pressure passing outwardly of the nozzle 17 will continue to produce the desired and necessary suction.

When the operator releases the operative mechanism that controls the position of the bell-crank 27, spring 23 will move the valve 22 to its seat, thereby cutting off further supply of iiuid under pressure to the cylinder 15 and, as a consequence, interrupting suction through the housing 7. Valve 10 will then gravitate to its closed position so as to cut off the exhaust line or passage, preventing any waste of steam which might otherwise occur when a steaming action is to beeffected through the utilization of the nozzle 4. It Will thus be seen that by simply removing the valve 22 from its seat. the normally closed valve 10, which controls the exhaust line, will be raised and suction through the apparatus immediately started. Conversely, when the valve 22 is closed, either through the positive actuation of the bellcrank 27 or through the action o f -the spring 23, the valve 10 will automatically seat itself and the suction effect will be likewise stopped.

With some installations it may not be convenient to have the Venturi tube extend downwardly as shown in Figures 1 and 2, and in Figure 4 there is shown an arrangement whereby the same mechanism as heretofore described, with one possible exception, may be utilized. In said gure, similar parts are lettered the same as in the preceding iigures. It is to be noted, however, that the housing or casting 7, instead of being connected directly into the lower portion of the -pressing member 1, is connected thereto Pthrough suitable fittings as 35 and 36 and that the housing extends horizontally rather than vertically. As a consequence, valve 10, which normally cuts off the exhaust'line, will not gravitate to its seat. To overcome this a tension spring 37 is employed. One end of the spring is threaded upon a hub 38 formed as a part of member 12 and the opposite end is secured to a hub 39 formed ,integral with the valve 10. It will therefore be seen that the spring at all times tends to draw the valve to its seat and to close of! the exhaust 'line leading from the pressing member 1. When,

however, valve 22 is moved from-its seat to ad' mit steam or other fluid under pressure into the lcylinder 15, it Awillact uponthe piston 16 and,

As with the foregoing construction, fluid under pressure passing from the nozzle 17 will set up suction through the exhaust line and the housing 7. Immediately the supply of iluid under pressure is interrupted, valve 10 is drawn to its seat, and nozzle 17 ceases to function.

The cylinder 15, and the piston 16 working therein, are in effect a fluid pressure motor which serves tomove the valve 10 from its seat when fluid pressure is admitted to the cylinder.

A further modification is shown in Figures 5 to l0, inclusive. In this instance, the exhaust chamber denoted by 6a is connected by a pipe or nipple 51 through a coupling 52 to a casing denoted generally by 53. 'I'he casing, .as will be best seen upon reference .to Figures -6 and 7, is hollow and is provided at its outer end and into which the pipe 51 opens, with a chamber 54 closed oi r from the second chambered portion 55 of the casing by anormally closed valve 56. Said valve is mounted upon a -stem 57, one end whereof is seated within a bearing 58 formed as an integral portion of a closure nut or cap 59. A spring 60 interposed between the valve and the cap serves to normally seat the valve and shut off the flow of uid from passage 54 to 55. 4

Formed integrally with the member 53 and 'located in the chamber 55 is a cylindrical shaped member 61, closed at its rear by a screw plug 62, while in its forward end there is mounted a jet nozzle 63.y The inner end of the nozzle is reduced in diameter so as to be spaced away from the inner walls of the cylindrical member 61, and is provided with a series of openings 64 extending laterally through such reduced end.

Extending forwardly of piston and into the rear portion of nozzle 63, is a stem or rod 57 which acts as a valve with reference to ports or openings 64.

Extending rearwardly from the piston and passing through plug 62 is a stem or rod 57". the rod being of such length that the end thereof stops just short of contact with valve 56 when said valve is closed and the piston is in its foremost position, as in Fig. 6, at which time ports 64 are likewise closed. The parts 57", 57" and the piston 65 will preferably be formed integrally.

Fluid under pressure is admitted into the cylinder through the inlet opening or passage 66, and, acting on the piston, forces the piston to the left from the positition shown in Fig. 6, to that shown in Fig. 7. Rod or stem 57b will of course contact valve 56 and open the same, and spring 60-wil1 be Iplaced under compression.

In so moving, the forward end of the stem 57l comes to the position shown in Figure 7, clearing the inner ends of the openings 64 and permitting the uid under pressure to pass outwardly through the jet nozzle 63 and into a Venturi tube 67. In this manner, suction is created in the chamber 6 and through the perforate support 2* overlying the same. f Y

Control of the iluid under pressure to the passage 66 is effected by a valve68 (see Figures 8 and 9), normally pressed to its seat 69, which communicates with the passage 66, by a spring 70. The valve through the action of-the spring is, as just noted, normally-'closed but may be readily opened through the operation of a bell-crank 71 operating upon the outwardly extending end 72 of the valve stem. Any suitable lmeans may be employed for opening the valve 68. Fluid under pressure, usually steam, is introduced through a pipe 73 into a chamber 74 which is normally closed by the valve 68.

strucof the cylinder; a valve closing one end of said t forward er the piston es, andtnet the stem is 0 utilized.

A strued genericany and is intended to include any guided-throughout its'travel. By reason of the presenceof this forward extension, it becomes necessary to provide the openings 64 so that when the vent valve 56 is partially or completely opened, a suction is set up by the steam or fluid under pressure rushing into the nomle. e

Of course, (me must realize that the further purpose of the valvestem 5'?l of the piston 65 -is to cushion the vent valve when said valveA returns toits seat, so -that this element creates no' noise. Furthermore, it will be seen that the distance between the rear end of the member 5'1b and the adjacent face of the vent valve56, is less than the distancegit is necessary that the stem 57* should travel before the end of said stem 5'?I` opens the ports 64. By this arrangement, the vent valve is oil." its seat, before anysuction can be created in the conduit or pipe 51 from the chamber 6*, thus preventing any resistance to the opening of the vent valve 56 especially through the action of iluid pressure upon the piston 65.-

This is particularly so when operating at low` pressures. l.

The forward end ofv the stem 5'1 working in a cylindrical bore produced in the inner end of the nozzle 63 forms in effect a valve for theiassages or openings 64.

The cylinder 61, the piston 65 and the allied elements may be termed a unitary iiuid pressure actuated motor means which functions to moveV the valve which is associated with the chamber to be evacuated from its seat, and-likewise to control ythe admission and cut-oi! of iluid under pressure to and from the jet nomle.

From the foregoing, it will be noted that under all the modifications heretofore described, the exhaust valve is moved from its seat through the action of fluid under pressure', and that simultaneously therewith, a jet action is produced through a nozzle. Y

While steam has been spoken of as the medium employed to produce the jet, it will be appreciated that other iluid medium The vterm garment pressing machine".as employed in the foregoing description, is to becon- Y and all structures Vto which the mechanism may be applicable.

f This application is a continuation in part of my` application vfiled June 10th, 1931, Serial No.

543,498, and later abandoned.

l said conduit; uid pressureactuated means for i What is claimed is: l 1. Exhausting means comprising in combination an exhaust conduit; a valve normally closing opening said valve; a valve controlling the pas- 65 sage of fluid pressure to said fluid pressure4 actuthrough these openings j under pressure may be.

conduit; a piston locatedv within the cylinder: a stem cooperating with the piston and the valve; a nozzle extending from that end of the cylinder opposite the stem; "and a valve controlling the flow of iiuid under pressure into the cylinder.

3. Exhausting means comprising -in combination an exhaust conduit; a cylinder mounted withinl the conduit, there being a space between the interior wall of the `conduit and the external wall of the cylinder; 'a nozzle mounted' in one end of the cylinder, said nozzle having a series of openings formed at the inner end thereof and normally opening into the cylinder; a piston mounted in the cylinder; a stem carried by the Apiston and extending to each side thereof, the

i'n said conduit in spaced relation, in part at least,

to=the surrounding walls of the structure; a

located therein; a valve for closing the conduit; a conduit for introducing iluid under pressure into said cylinder; a valve for closing Y 5. Exhausting means comprising in combination a chamber to be evacuated; a pipe extending therefrom; a valve opening inwardly toward said pipe and normally closing communication between said chamber and pipe; means acting to hold the valve in its closed position; a cylinder; a piston mounted therein; a rod extending from one end of the cylinder and toward said valve; a iet nozzle opening into the opposite end o f the cylinder; means for admitting fluid under pressure into the cylinder and against that surface of the piston which faces the nozzle; means controlled by the movement of the piston for admitting the iluid under pressure to the nozzle; and a Venturi tube into which the nozzle discharges, said tube communicating with a chamber which surrounds the 'piston in part at least, and said chamber likewise communicating -with the pipe aforesaid when the valve is u'nseated.

6 Exhausting means comprisingin combination a chamber to be evacuated; a conduit exltending therefrom and terminating in a hollow member; a valve normally closing said conduit against the outow of uid therethrough; a cylinder mounted within the hollow member and standing in spaced relation to the innernwalls thereof, in part at least; a piston mounted within the cylinder; 'a jet nozzle at the forward end of the cylinder, said nozzle being provided at its inner end with a reduced .portionl havingat least one opening formed therein communicating .with the A`interior of the' cylinder; a rod connected tothe piston and extending at its forward end into the adjacent end of the nome and serving when the piston is moved outwardly to close vthe opening aforesaid; a rodextending from the opposite 'faceA of the piston in line with the valve; and means for admitting-fluid under pressure to tending therefrom;

the forward end of the cylinder whereby the piston will be moved rearwardly, the valve unseated by the second named rod, and the opening formed in the reduced' portion of the nozzle uncovered,

thereby permitting such fluid to pass outwardly from the nozzle.

7. Exhausting means comprising in combination a chamber to be evacuated; a conduit ex` a hollow member in lcommunication with said conduit; a valve normally closing the chamber from said conduit; a cylinder located within the hollow chamber and spaced from the inner walls thereof in part at least; a nozzle mounted in the forward end of the cylinder, said nozzle being provided with an inwardly extending reduced portion having at least one opening formed therein and communicating with the interior of the cylinder; a piston mounted within the cylinder; a piston rod extending from each side of said piston, the forward end of the rod acting with the reduced portion of the nozzle as a valve for closing the opening in the reduced portion when the mst-mentioned valve is seated;

and means for introducing fluid under pressure 'into the cylinder forward of the piston.

8. A structure as set forth in claim '1, wherein the rear end of the rod is guided in its movements and a spring is employed to seat the first-named valve.

9. ni 'combination with. chamber to be evacuated, a valve normally closing said 'chamber 'against evacuation; a jet nomic for creating a flow f from the chamber to be evacuated; and unitary fluid pressure actuated motor means for moving the valve from its seat ,and likewise admitting fluid under pressure to the nozzle.

10. A structure as set forth in claim 9, wherein the valve which closes the chamber against evacuation is opened by the motor in advance of the admission of uid under pressure to the nozzle.

11. Exhausting means comprising in combination a chamber to beA exhausted and having an exhaust opening; a valve; a spring for normally closing said valve; a cylinder; a` jet nozzle extending therefrom, said nozzle having at least one port open to the interior of the cylinder; a piston in the cylinder; a reciprocating valve carried by the piston, said valve extending into the nozzle and controlling the opening and closing of the.

port aforesaid; and a stem extending from the piston toward the exhaust valve, said stem being spaced therefrom when the valve is closed and the reciprocating valve having an amplitude of movement before uncovering the port such, that the stem will normally open the exhaust valve prior to the opening of the port. y 

